UPDATE - June 18, 2018 - Cold Case Homicide Unit detectives have charged David Thacker (W/M, 41 years old) in the murder of Michael Jones (W/M, 54 years old at the time of his death).  Jones was reported missing by his family in April 2014.  A press release from the discovery of human bones in May 2016 is attached below.  In late 2016, the remains were confirmed to be Michael Jones, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Detectives identified David Thacker as a person of interest early in the investigation.  Thacker and Jones were acquaintances and were known to have had a disagreement around the time Jones was reported missing.  GCPD Detectives and investigators from the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office have worked the cases over the past four years as leads have become available.  New information was revealed in recent months, which allowed detectives to obtain warrants for Thacker. He has been charged with aggravated assault and felony murder.

Thacker was served with the warrants at the Forsyth County Jail, where he was already in custody on unrelated charges.  He has not yet been transferred to the Gwinnett County Detention Center.

Click here for reports and photos.

ORIGINAL RELEASE - May 25, 2016 - Several members of the Gwinnett County Police Department have descended upon wooded property in unincorporated Auburn after human remains were found yesterday.  A deer hunter called 911 on Tuesday around 3pm to report that he found a human skull in the woods along Bailey Road near Union Grove Circle.   Patrol officers, homicide detectives, Crime Scene Unit, and the Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene. 

A human skull and other bones were discovered about 200-300 yards from the roadway.  The Crime Scene Unit took photographs of the evidence.  Because of the diminishing daylight, it was decided that the search for additional evidence would be suspended until the following day. 

At around 9:30am, recruits assigned to the 95^th Police Academy along with detectives and Crime Scene came back out to the scene.  The objective is to find any additional bones, property, or evidence. 

The remains have not yet been identified, and it is still unknown if this is related to a criminal event.  Members of the Homicide Unit will investigate this case as a crime unless the evidence leads elsewhere.   

Fortunately, the recruits received Crime Scene Processing training earlier this week and had just learned how to do a property search.  The recruits have been using orange flags to mark possible evidence.  Members of the Crime Scene Unit will follow behind them to determine if the flagged areas are related to this event. 

The process of this investigation will include searching for missing person cases in Gwinnett County and elsewhere if needed.